In the 1800s forest management in Polish forests was still in its infancy. This article reminds presents tree stands were described in those days. The then concepts of: the forest, tree stand, bare land and large tree group were explained. In addition, the notion as well as the method of determination of the stand species composition and its age, perpendicular structure, closure, mixture proportion, stocking and condition was discussed in detail. For this purpose, available nineteenth century instructions, glossaries and books were employed.